Miserable Nights

Our entire house is sleep deprived due to my daughters frequent night waking. I am unsure of how to help her sleep better.

Here is some background info

She turned 1 on 12/20.

She was exclusively breasfed until 6 months (then she started solids) and until recently I didn't supplement with any other kind of milk. I had to cut out dairy for myself initially, but I do eat limited amounts now. Besides the sleep problems, she is doing great in most everyway (walking/climbing/talking/growing). But sleep has always been a problem (wakes up as often, has lots of gas). It seems like it has gotten gradually worse as I introduced solid foods. But I haven't found consistent pattern. She eats and chews really well for her age (eats almost anything we do).

After the New Year - I have been trying to send her some whole milk to day care as I need to stop pumping at work. She hates the taste but will drink it mixed with breast milk.

The past few nights she has been waking up at least once an hour and screaming for unconsolably for 20-30 min. During these episodes, she seems to pass some gas and calm down. She is cutting a molar (her first one). So I have tried Advil and that didn't help. She also had her check up and one year old shots on Monday (including a flu shot they accidently gave her though it was her third does).

She generally nurses at 7:30 AM, 6:30 PM, 9 PM, 12 PM, and 5 AM. She gets two bottles (about 8 ounces of milk) at daycare. She also gets three meals a day plus snacks and sippy cups of milk or water (but she spits the milk out).

After a miserable night last night, I decided to just send her breastmilk today and tomorrow and see if it gets better. Then go from there.

Anyone else have these issues? What did you try? My son (3 1/2 now) was sleeping through the night, eating yogurt, and drinking milk out of sippy cups without problems. We all need sleep!

Re: Miserable Nights

Is it possible she's still sensitive to dairy? My DS2 (who also turned on 1 on 12/20!) is sensitive to dairy. He generally gets very gassy and restless at night whenever I eat dairy. The more I eat, the more restless/upset he gets at night. I have to be super-strict about it (despite what my husband thinks).

Before she started waking every hour, how often was she waking up at night? A lot of babies/toddlers have sleep "issues" that are actually just a normal sleep pattern for their age. My DS1 (3 years old) has only recently (read: within the last month) started sleeping in 4-5 hour chunks. Before that he was up every. two. hours. without fail. And that's normal for him.

Personally, I would try cutting dairy out again. And make sure that none of the foods she gets have hidden dairy.

Good luck!

Breastfeeding, babywearing, sci-fi loving, total geek of a mom!

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind. — Dr. Seuss

Re: Miserable Nights

You know I can remember horrible stomach aches throughout my entire childhood. I figured out on my own at age 27 that I was extremely lactose intolerant. I quit cow dairy and never looked back. Now I'm 44-1/2 and still happily dairy free I nurse my 18 month old and have never given her a single cow dairy product. Most dairy in the u.s. Is mass manufactured and heavily processed. When I'm at work she gets smoothies that we make at home with whole fruits, veggies, and good fats like avocado and coconut.

Re: Miserable Nights

Sleeping habits vary widely based on personality and individual needs. I don't think it's fair to expect her to be the same as her brother. And this really sounds like a dairy reaction. It's exactly how my son always reacted to dairy in his system. And you know she is sensitive to it if you already had to cut it out yourself before. I'd definitely cut any and all dairy out of her diet. Try again in a month or two. Slowly. Most kids outgrow it by 18 months but there's always the chance she won't.

Re: Miserable Nights

Thanks all. She did sleep better after cuting out the whole milk. She is waking up every 2-3 hours (which is normal for her), but going back to sleep easily. She also got her 2nd molar, so that could have played into the screaming.

For now I am pumping twice at work and sending two bottles of BM. I am also sending a sippy cut of just water to drink with lunch. She eats good so I think she will be fine on 2 bottles.